6 Standout New Features Coming to Your iPhone

It’s been several weeks since Apple released the public beta of iOS 18.4, which gave us a first look at the new features coming to the iPhone. And, as of today, iOS 18.4 is officially out today.

As far as the new features, there are quite a few. While some are exclusive to newer iPhones that support Apple Intelligence, many of the features are also available on older iPhones.

Below, we’ve rounded the most impactful new features that iOS 18.4 delivers.

A long-awaited improvement to the Mail app

Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol

iOS 18.4 delivers a simple but important feature to Apple’s Mail app that solves a long-running frustration. To date, when you move an email to a different folder or send it to the trash, the Mail app automatically moves you to the next email rather than giving you a broader view of your entire inbox, which is annoying.

When running the new software, there is a new “Delete or Move Message Action” feature that solves this issue. When selected, you’ll have the choice to “View Next Message” or “Don’t Select a Message.” If the latter is selected, you’ll return to your inbox view after moving an email to a folder or sending it to your trash.

You’ll need to turn this on because it’s off by default.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Select Apps (located at the bottom).
3. Scroll down and select Mail.
4. Select Delete or Move Message Action.
5. Select Don’t Select a Message.

Clear up your Lock Screen with Priority Notifications

Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol

If you have an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence, iOS 18.4 delivers a standout feature called Priority Notifications. When turned on, your iPhone’s Lock Screen will have a separate section dedicated to notifications that Apple Intelligence deems important.

The idea is that random notifications do not clutter your Lock Screen, and you can see the important notifications — such as messages or calls from friends — first.

Priority Notifications is turned off by default, so you’ll have to turn it on.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and select Notifications.
3. Select Prioritize Notifications in the Apple Intelligence section.
4. Toggle it on.

Access music playlists from the Control Center

Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol

If you’re an Apple Music subscriber, iOS 18.4 adds a feature that gives you quick access to some of your favorite playlists and allows you to play ambient music right from the Control Center.

When editing your Control Center, you’ll find a new Ambient Music section that gives you four options — Sleep, Chill, Productivity and Wellbeing — each of which is tied to a corresponding ambient music playlist within Apple Music.

Once added to your Control Center, you’ll then be able to swipe down, select the icon and that Ambient Music playlist will start playing. To add them:

1. Swipe down to access your Control Center.
2. Long press in an open space (not on an icon).
3. Select “Add a Control.”

You can customize these playlists, too. Once added to your Control Center, long-press in an open area (not on an icon), select the playlist icon you want to change, then select Playlist and choose a new option. If you choose “From Library,” you can add any playlist from your Apple Music library.

A new default app to change

Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol

In December, Apple rolled out iOS 18.2 and gave iPhone users the ability to change the default apps for things like calling and messaging for the first time. So, if you don’t want your iPhone’s Phone or Messages apps for calls and texts, you can use third-party apps instead.

With iOS 18.4, Apple allows you to change the translation app. So if you don’t want to use Apple’s Translate app, you can switch to a third-party option like Google Translate or Microsoft Translator.

To do this, you’ll have to access the Default Apps menu in the Settings app.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down to the bottom and select Apps.
3. Select Default Apps at the top.
4. Select Translation.

From here, you can select another third-party translation app to set as default. (Note: You must have it already downloaded to your iPhone.)

A small but helpful new feature in the Photos app

Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol

The new software update delivers a simple but helpful feature in the Photos app. Specifically, it adds two new filtering options — “Shared With You” and “Not in an Album” — to make it easier to find photos.

In the Photos app, select the blue arrows button in the bottom-left corner, then select Filter. From here, you’ll see the two new options. This is an easy way to group photos to add to albums or to delete and free up clutter.

Additionally, iOS 18.4 adds another feature to the Photos app. If you’re somebody who doesn’t like to see the albums of your Recently Viewed or Recently Shared photos, you can now disable those.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and select Apps.
3. Scroll down and select Photos.
4. Toggle off Show Recently Viewed & Shared.

A better CarPlay experience

Apple

Lastly, iOS 18.4 rolls out several enhancements to CarPlay.

If your vehicle has a large navigation display, the updated software will give you an extra row of app icons — while previously limited to just two rows, iOS 18.4 will allow for a third row of app icons for supported vehicles.

Second, if you use the Live Activities feature on your iPhone — which displays the live scores for ongoing games on your iPhone’s Lock Screen — they’ll also appear on your vehicle’s display. This way, you don’t have to look at your iPhone while you drive to keep up with the score.

When’s iOS 18.4 coming?

The public beta of iOS 18.4 has been available for several weeks, but, as of today — Monday, March 31 — Apple has officially released iOS 18.4 to all compatible iPhones.

Related Topics